FIFA to pay World Cup bonuses in advance: Report

The world football governing body, FIFA is ‘reportedly set to introduce a major policy change’ by paying World Cup bonuses to the qualifying member association for the tournament in advance, a move geared towards preventing row over bonuses especially by African players.

After bonus row issues involving Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup, FIFA, under now-ousted President Sepp Blatter, had suggested they would mandate member associations to show signed agreements with players ahead of the next tournament in 2018.

It has already been widely reported that Nigeria’s federation will pay the 37 players who took part in qualifying the team for Russia equally, with the players getting equal portions of the $12.5 million qualifying bonus.

The full amount is set to be paid in advance of the tournament, rather than being split into a $2.5million preparation fee, and $10 million after the event, the ESPN report suggested quoting the source.

Prize money awarded to the 32 World Cup qualifying teams is expected to get even bigger for the coming tournament. A record $400 million in prize money is expected to be in play next year.

The figure represents a 12 percent increase from the $358 million paid out to teams at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

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